Automotive body panels are formed in high volume production by a conventional process of stamping a sheet of mild steel between two stamping dies with matching hard surfaces. Vehicle manufacturers are reducing the use of mild steel sheet panels and converting to the use of aluminum, advanced high strength steel (AHSS), or ultra-high strength steel (UHSS). Aluminum, AHSS and UHSS offer high strength/low weight alternatives to mild steel, but have lower formability properties compared to mild steels. Lower formability properties limit the curvatures of styling lines and results in larger radius styling lines than corresponding styling lines on steel panels.
The following references were considered in conjunction with preparing this application: U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,941 B2 to Friedman et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,467,532 B2 to Golovashchenko.